Exercise and Coronary Heart Disease Risk Markers in Male Smokers and Non-Smokers

The present study will investigate the effect of acute exercise on fasting and postprandial risk markers for coronary heart disease (CHD) in healthy male cigarette smokers and non-smokers. Participants will complete two, 2-day trials in a random crossover design separated by an interval of at least 1 week. On day 1, participants will rest (control) or complete 60 minute of treadmill exercise at 60% of maximum oxygen uptake (exercise). On day 2, participants will rest and consume two high fat meals (breakfast and lunch) over an 8-h period during which 13 venous blood samples and nine blood pressure measurements will be taken at pre-determined intervals. It is hypothesised that men who smoke cigarettes will exhibit impaired fasting and postprandial metabolic risk markers compared to non-smokers, but a single bout of exercise will be equally, if not more, efficacious for improving the CHD risk factor profile in smokers than non-smokers.